Roborock won't return to the dock
DIRECT ANSWER
COMMON CAUSES · RANKED
Dock placed without clearance MOST COMMON
Shoved between a bookshelf and a plant, the dock's signal field gets shadowed and the final approach fails. Roborock asks for 0.5 m each side, 1.5 m in front.
Dock moved after mapping
The robot drives to where the dock used to be, finds a wall, and wanders. The saved map still points at the old location.
Dust on the dock signal window or robot sensors
A thin film over the dock's transmitter window or the robot's front sensors is enough to hide the docking beacon.
Robot started away from the dock UNCOMMON
Carried to another room mid-run, it loses its position reference and may never route back.
Direct sunlight on the dock RARE
Strong sun washes out the infrared docking signal. A dock in a bright window bay works at night and fails at noon.
HOW TO FIX IT
Re-site the dock
Flat floor, back against a wall, 0.5 m clear on each side, 1.5 m clear in front, out of direct sun and away from mirrors.
Wipe the signal paths
Dry-cloth the dock's front window and pins, the robot's bumper sensors, and the lidar turret on top.
Start every clean from the dock
The robot memorizes the dock position at launch. Don't carry it mid-run — pause it and let it drive.
Rebuild the map if the dock moved
Delete the saved map in the app's map settings, place the robot on the dock, and run a full clean so it re-learns the dock location.
Power cycle and update
Robot off, dock unplugged 30 seconds, both back on — then install any pending firmware update from the app.
COMPATIBLE PARTS
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Charging dock — S5 & S6
Check the dock contacts and the regional plug type before ordering a replacement.
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Verification
Last verified: 2026-07-05 · How we verify a fault code
Corrections
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